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Food–Beverage

  • By Elizabeth King
  • August 3, 2026
New restaurant coming to former Chili's spot in Sarasota

Ed’s Tavern has a sign posted on U.S. 41 showing the sports bar and restaurant will open in 2027.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Jay Heater
  • July 29, 2026
Can new concept earn the bread for Wolfie's latest venture?

Wolfie's Hand Cut will use a Chipotle Mexican Grill-style fast-casual concept to streamline operations.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Louis Llovio
  • July 28, 2026
Former Bloomin' Brands CEO to run Cracker Barrel

David Deno, who retired from the Tampa company in 2024, is taking over the restaurant chain in October a year after a rebranding controversy.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • By Elizabeth King
  • July 24, 2026
Upscale restaurant targets 2027 opening at University Town Center

BrickTop's, a Nashville-based company with a location in Naples, is coming to Sarasota.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Anastasia Dawson
  • July 23, 2026
Want to open an in-demand business? Check out rental cars, dogs, kebab shops

An analysis of Google search data found demand for car rental companies, tailors and specialty restaurants outpaces the number of businesses serving those customers.

  • Florida
  • By Anastasia Dawson
  • July 23, 2026
Tampa-born brewery, lagoon company launch craft beer collaboration

Artificial lagoon company MetroLagoons has teamed up with Florida Avenue Brewing to create a signature craft beer for its four Florida locations.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • By Elizabeth King
  • July 22, 2026
PDQ restaurant property sold in South Sarasota

The South Tamiami Trail eatery will continue to operate as PDQ, according to the broker who represented the buyer in the deal.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By S.T. Cardinal
  • July 22, 2026
With $1.2M building purchase, Longboat Key restaurant plans expansion

Whitney’s, a restaurant and bar on the northern tip of Longboat Key, bought the property next door last October.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Elizabeth King
  • July 20, 2026
After Sarasota restaurant fire, more than $100K in donations raised

The fire at Pacific Rim has shuttered the restaurant until further notice.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Louis Llovio
  • July 14, 2026
French food and beverage firm to invest $100M in Pasco facility

Monin, a more than 100-year-old family-owned French company, plans to build a facility on 70 acres and add more than 100 jobs in Zephyrhills.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • By Elizabeth King
  • July 10, 2026
Deli closes Sarasota location, plans new concept at UTC

The Original Wolfie’s has shuttered its eatery in Sarasota's Rosemary District.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Mark Gordon
  • July 8, 2026
California Pizza Kitchen co-founder dishes on culture, billion-dollar secrets

Be a "work with" company — not a "work for" company. Prioritize kindness. Do the hard right thing. Leadership lessons come from all sides in a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur's story.

  • Leadership
  • By Mark Gordon
  • July 7, 2026
Sarasota craft taco spot to close, reopen under pizza concept

The restaurant owner says goodbye to Irma’s Tacos and hello to VCo Pizzeria.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Louis Llovio
  • July 4, 2026
Sweet Tomatoes plots return after COVID-linked liquidation

Fort Myers is one of two cities nationally that Sweet Tomatoes has chosen for its rebirth after shuttering its 97 restaurants in 2020. And diners are loving it.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • By Elizabeth King
  • July 3, 2026
Smoothie King franchisee oversees small empire of Gulf Coast stores

Some of the secrets to this Smoothie King franchisee's success include hiring the right teams and handling the books for all 11 of her stores.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
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  • September 1, 2026
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